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Setting the Mood: Joy

Merriam-Webster defines joy as the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires. Personally, joy has a much different definition for me.

I must admit that joy does not come natural to me. I am a very driven person who is always charging ahead to conquer the next thing, and the artistic side of me has a tendency to be melancholy at times.

My original definition of joy was similar to Merriam-Webster’s, but I have come to find that this type of joy is really quite impossible. I would be willing to bet that even naturally upbeat and optimistic people like my husband find this to be a challenge.

After many years of walking with God and studying scripture I have found joy to be something much deeper. I could not say it any better than Rick Warren has quoted on his Daily Hope website: “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”

Notice that there is nothing in that definition about happy feelings. Feelings tend to be temporary, whereas joy is more a way of being.

The color that I think of when I think of quiet confidence and just “being” is green. It’s the color of nature, and when I am out in nature I tend to often have that sense of joy and contentment. Since this feeling doesn’t come to me naturally, it makes sense that I have a green based color palette throughout my house. The color counteracts my drive and causes me to slow down and smell the roses.

A long time friend of mine, Buddy Hawkins, is one of the best nature photographers I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. He has a natural gift which makes it easy to draw inspiration from his work, like the “Bout Sable Bay, Commonwealth of Dominica” print used below.

What is your definition of Joy? Let us know by liking, commenting, and sharing this post with your family and friends. As always, if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe with your email to make sure you never miss a future post!